WHY NOW ASSASSINATE IMAD MUGHNIYAH? AND IN DAMASCUS?

Just before Christmas last year there was a conference held in Annapolis, USA. Although instant peace in the Middle East was not agreed, most of the major concerned parties did attend and came away with some informal agreements to work towards peace in the region. I noted a positive change in public Israeli/Syrian relations, and co-operation between the two was increasing.

But then Imad Mughniyah was blown in up Damascus, Syria yesterday.

I confess I do not know who Imad Mughniyah was, or his alleged involvement in certain crimes, such as the kidnapping of Terry Waite.

But many fingers are pointing at Israel as the assassin in this case.

Haaretz has today published a gloating article on this assassination, entitled "ANALYSIS: Mughniyah killing happened under noses of Iran and Syria", available at
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/954277.html.

It contains this;

"This, therefore, is a strategic assassination, because of its potential repercussions beyond the removal of Hezbollah's supreme planner and operative. Because the important question now is how the Tehran-Damascus-Hezbollah axis will respond in unison, and how each component will respond singly."

I can just imagine a gang of West Ham ICF members from the 1980's jumping up and down in front of a gang of Millwall hooligans, shouting "Come on then! Let's have it!" after a gang of ICF members deliberately stabbed a lone Millwall hooligan to death one quiet night after a few beers.

This assassination was designed to start big trouble.

Haaretz's reference to the 'Tehran-Damascus-Hezbollah axis' shows who the assassination is really aimed at, and its bloody purpose.